


corner of my mind

by commanderofraccoons



Category: Mean Girls (2004), Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Apologies, Coming Out, Epilogue, F/F, Fluff, Post canon, Pre Canon, Underage Drinking, im fulfilling prompts now, me adding kylie george at every chance possible, mostly set sophomore year, slowly but it's happening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 03:19:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18274715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commanderofraccoons/pseuds/commanderofraccoons
Summary: “-had to call twice, but,” There was a cough through the speaker, and the background noise was almost overpowering what she recognized as Janis’s voice. “Oh! Hey! Are you there?”Regina froze, still curled up with her mountain of pillows. The girl was actually talking to her. She thought the call might’ve been unintentional, but evidently Janis Sarkisian actually wanted to speak to Regina George.orA drunken Janis finally gets her chance to talk to Regina.





	corner of my mind

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: sophomore year janis gets really drunk and loses her phone and calls regina at 2am to come pick her up and regina does and they have a whole heart to heart and regina takes janis home and the next day janis doesn’t remember at all but regina of course does
> 
> so i just changed this just a bit, but it's still mostly the same! i'm currently accepting prompts, though i'm getting to them a lot slower than i'd like. i have a bunch in my inbox that i'm trying to hit in order, but feel free to send me some: kleksuh.tumblr.com

March was arguably the worst month for school. Sophomore year was coming to a close, but the work hadn’t halted yet. More parties were being thrown than normal— high school kids trying to forget about their failed midterm grades with a keg and a bong. And Regina would pick the ones she attended. She knew which parties were worth it, and which ones weren’t, and there were none worthy of Regina George that weekend.

 

It wasn’t often that she stayed home during her free time, preferring time away from both her mother and her little sister whenever she could— and her father was never home to bother her in the first place.

 

Kylie spent most of the evening harassing her, purposely moving Regina’s things around the house without her realizing. Once her laptop was stolen and hidden underneath a living room couch cushion, Regina surmised that one of the nerd parties had to be better than this. She would’ve even taken a half-hearted shopping spree and a bad movie with the girls over her little sister’s attention-seeking antics.

 

Her bedroom door was locked now, and Kylie had given up on trying to get inside. It was a while past the girl’s bedtime, and their mother most likely passed out hours ago. Music was playing softly in the background, and Regina let herself actually relax in her bed. She never really had the time for it, especially during weekends.

 

The peace didn’t last long, however, as Regina’s phone started vibrating on her nightstand. She rolled her eyes for a second, imagining that Kylie was trying to aggravate her in other ways now. Regina blinked, the time slowly coming into view from the digital clock across the room. _2:34am_. Oh, she must’ve fallen asleep. There was no way her sister would still be awake, let alone trying to call her right now.

 

She grabbed for the phone, eyes adjusting to the contact picture behind the name. _Janis Sarkisian_. Her heart dropped to her stomach, and she didn’t quite believe what she was seeing. The contact picture was old, though she definitely remembered it, even if she hadn’t seen it for years. It was the two of them, around six years old, lounging on Regina’s slip ‘n’ slide in her backyard, both of their bathing suits caked in mud.

 

The picture suddenly faded to her usual lock screen of her and the girls, and Regina realized she missed the call. She let it ring too long, and the _1 Missed Call_ notification appeared in front of Gretchen’s large forehead. Her disappointment didn’t even settle in before the phone was lighting up again, Janis apparently determined to reach her. Regina only glanced at the contact picture this time, more focused on the pink hearts still next to Janis’s contact name; she’d have to change that. Or maybe just delete it in general. Clearing her throat, she tapped the green accept button, curiosity winning out.

 

“-had to call twice, but,” There was a cough through the speaker, and the background noise was almost overpowering what she recognized as Janis’s voice. “Oh! Hey! Are you there?”

 

Regina froze, still curled up with her mountain of pillows. The girl was actually talking to her. She thought the call might’ve been unintentional, but evidently Janis Sarkisian actually wanted to speak to Regina George.

 

“Why are you calling me?”

 

Janis laughed loudly into the phone, and Regina resisted pulling it away to save her ears. “You could say hello.” Her tone seemed far less defensive than usual, almost joking. “Can you pick me up?”

 

Regina stayed silent for a moment, mulling over the situation. She should just hang up. Why was _Regina_ Janis’s late night option for a ride home?

 

 _She’s drunk._ It explained her relaxed attitude and why she was calling her for a ride. Her words didn’t seem slurred, but Regina supposed she could just be hiding it well enough.

 

“You know it’s late, right?” Regina attempted to sound angry but imagined she was falling quite flat of that mark.

 

“Yeah, oops.” More muffled noise came through, and Regina held her tongue on asking if Janis was purposely juggling with her phone. “Look, Damian’s passed out, and he’s spending the night here with his friends. You’re kind of, like, my last resort here, I don’t know.”

 

A blurry image of the big guy Janis always hung around came to mind, and she assumed that was who she was talking about. _So she_ does _have other friends._ The thought caused something angry to coil inside of her chest, and Regina tried willing it away. She would’ve preferred Kylie prank calling her over this. “Uber?”

 

Janis sighed. “Not all of us are loaded, dude. I’m trying to save my money.”

 

“Wait, how far away are you then? Are you okay?” Regina felt her brows furrow, worry unconsciously manifesting itself.

 

“I’m in the city, but I’m fine, yeah. I’ll text you the location, thanks.”

 

“No, I didn’t say I would-” she stopped, peeking at the map Janis had sent her. “Why the fuck are you in downtown Chicago?”

 

She heard Janis groan. “My head hurts, okay? My mom’s working tonight, and, like, I’m a little drunk. Maybe I’m one of the last people on earth who still uses speed dial, though.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Regina sat up in her bed, kicking the comforter off her legs.

 

“It’s my mom, you, and then Damian on my speed dial. Should probably change that order.”

 

Her stomach clenched painfully at the words, and she pulled herself over the side of the bed. “Whatever. I’m leaving now. Be outside.”

 

“Wait, rea-“

 

Regina hung up, wiggling her socked-feet inside of her pink slippers. She was definitely making a mistake.

 

* * *

 

 

The city traffic was thankfully nonexistent because of the hour. A few people were walking by themselves on the sidewalks, and Regina made sure her doors were locked every time they even glanced at her Lexus. She’d only been driving for seven minutes before Janis called her again, their old Spice Girls ringtone coming in through the car radio. Her face heated up, suddenly remembering why her phone’s been on silent for the last two years.

 

“So it’s a left there. I think. Do you see it? Well, I don’t really remember, but…” Janis trailed off, and Regina turned up the volume so she could actually hear her. “You’re actually coming, right? Like, you’re not fucking with me?”

 

“Yes, Janis, I’m coming.” She sighed, peeking at the directions on her phone, which was placed in her car mount. “I have the GPS up, remember? I’m literally pulling onto the road.” It took her a little over a half an hour to get there, and Janis had made sure to fill in any silence over the phone. Regina knew for certain that the girl was drunk now— not because she was disoriented, but because she couldn’t stop rambling. Even when they were younger and more open with each other, she never talked this much. Apparently, Janis was a talkative drunk.

 

“Sure, but you, like, just got your license. You’re a new driver, and I’m _helping_.” She held out the last syllable for a solid few seconds, and Regina rolled her eyes.

 

“Great, well, I’m pulling up to the apartment building. Why don’t I see you?”

 

“Oh! I’m right here!”

 

Regina squinted, watching a figure to the left jump up and down with a phone in hand. “Jesus.” She flickered her headlights. “It’s me. Let’s go.”

 

The call suddenly ended, the hanging up tone sounding throughout her car. Regina had seen godawful Janis outfits in the last year or so— with her whole emo rebellion and all— but this one might’ve taken the cake. Her makeup was even heavier than usual, her hair was braided to the one side, and Regina could only imagine the type of party she just left.

 

She walked around the front of the car, and Regina unlocked the door for the first time since driving into the city. Janis yanked the door open roughly, and Regina gripped the steering wheel just a bit harder.

 

“Not gonna lie, I thought you’d send your family driver or some shit.” She plopped herself into the passenger seat, boots landing on the floor mat. “Whatever rich people do.” Janis leaned over and slammed the car door shut.

 

Regina blushed slightly, remembering that Janis would know the little details of her life. How she used to be, anyway. “You know he doesn’t work this late.”

 

Janis snorted while struggling to buckle her seatbelt. Regina couldn’t make out what she said but thought she heard a faint mumble of “eat the rich”.

 

“Why were you down here?” Regina asked when it fell silent, putting the car into drive.

 

“Saturday Rocky Horror Showing. Damian’s in the cast, y’know?” Janis nodded toward Regina, as if she had any idea what she was talking about. “But they’re more his friends, right? They let us drink with them, and it was cool.” She shrugged. “I didn’t wanna stay here, and I had no one else to take me home.”

 

“Are you not… comfortable there with them or something?” She was confused, to say the least, but getting coherent answers out of Janis in this state would be like pulling teeth. Regina figured they could talk during the ride, though, and Janis seemed willing.

 

“Um, a little, yeah. There’s this girl,” she paused, shooting a look in her direction. Regina was sure her face was turning red, and her heart noticeably sped up in her chest. It wasn’t a topic she planned on mentioning, and she was a little surprised Janis brought it up on her own. “She likes me, but she’s just, I don’t know, too forward about it? You know what I mean?”

 

Her blood pressure had risen significantly in the last minute or so, and though she was trying to hyperfocus on the road, Janis’s words were repeating in her head. “Mhm.”

 

“Damian’s told me she wants to ask me out, but I don’t think I like her like that.” Janis breathed loudly, resting her head back against the seat. “You always have guys crawling all over you. How do you deal with it?”

 

Regina said nothing for a moment, the blood pumping heavily through her head. Her heart was sitting in the pit of her stomach, and she could feel Janis’s eyes on her. There were several responses on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t have it in her to say any of them. She’d come to a few conclusions since she’d last spent any time with Janis, and a small part of her wanted to share them with her.

 

“Not if she’s making you uncomfortable. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

 

Janis laughed a little too loudly for such a small space, and Regina felt a wave of panic hit her stomach. “Regina George is giving me lesbian dating advice.”

 

“You asked me.” She shook her head, the former jealousy slowly fading.

 

“Not bad for a homophobe.”

 

Regina blinked, side eyeing a nonchalant-looking Janis in the passenger’s side. It didn’t sound like she said it menacingly, but she didn’t have a civil response to that.

 

“Why’d you pick up the phone when I called?” Janis asked, tone far more sober now. “I guess if you didn’t answer, I probably would’ve just stayed there. You actually coming though was, like, a pipe dream.”

 

She merged lanes then, swallowing nervously at Janis’s words. “I mean, I didn’t answer at first. I don’t- I just-“ She paused. “I don’t know why I came. I don’t know.”

 

Janis’s eyes were burning into the side of her head, but she refused to look away from the road. This is what she wanted to avoid with this ride. She was hoping Janis was drunk enough that they wouldn’t be discussing things like this, but like she said, maybe that was a pipe dream.

 

“Remember how close we were.”

 

Regina gulped, heart back to pounding in her ears again. She inwardly scolded herself for not turning the radio on to drown out any conversation.

 

“Too close, to be honest,” Janis continued.

 

The tension was stifling suddenly, and Regina cracked the driver’s side window for the breeze to hit her in the face.

 

“Regina, why’d you do it?”

 

This was exactly what she didn’t want to discuss. She was hoping this elephant wouldn’t make its way out in the next half an hour, and now that she was on the highway, she couldn’t just pull over and talk it out.

 

“What do you want me to say?”

 

“The truth.”

 

Regina breathed a sigh, knowing she might as well bite the bullet. Janis being drunk would probably be the best time to say it.

 

“I projected onto you,” she admitted.

 

She saw Janis look away through her peripheral vision, and Regina fixated on the red car speeding in front of her.

 

“You’re dating Aaron Samuels.” She sounded incredibly confused, and Regina only hoped she understood what she was trying to say soon.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“So, you’re what? Bi?”

 

Regina clenched her jaw. “No.”

 

Janis didn’t respond, and Regina pressed down a little harder on the gas pedal in reaction. There was another tension-filled moment of silence before Janis started laughing. It began light, just as a mere chuckle, and quickly became hysterical. Regina peeked away from the road to see Janis hunched over in her seat, shoulders wracking with drunken cackles. In any other situation, Regina would’ve thought she was crazy, but her nerves were keeping that judgment at bay.

 

“Now I know you’re messing with me,” she managed, sitting back up in her seat, face red from both the laughter and the alcohol. “Fuck you, Regina.”

 

Regina sighed, hands gripping onto the steering wheel again to the point of whiteness. She didn’t have to correct her; what was the point? It’s not like she’d believe her. Plus she was drunk and wasn’t exactly acting in her right mind. _Maybe that helps_.

 

“I’m being serious.”

 

Janis made one last noise before becoming quiet. Her gaze was back on Regina’s profile, and her body language had become more tense in the last few minutes. The late hour and Regina’s speeding was helping them make good time-- maybe Janis would just drop it.

 

“I wanna hear you say it,” she finally spoke up, voice dropping to her usual octave. If Regina hadn’t just picked the girl up from Downtown Chicago after a phone call, she wouldn’t have believed she was drunk.

 

“Say what?” She knew exactly what she wanted her to say, but she was switching lanes now, getting off at the exit that they needed. She’d try putting it off as long as she could.

 

The car slowed, and Regina wondered briefly about where the time had gone. They’d already been driving for over fifteen minutes.

 

“Why was I at a party on Saturday night and you weren’t?” Janis changed the subject, and Regina felt the breath enter her lungs again.

 

“You were at a loser party. There’s a difference.”

 

Janis scoffed.

 

“How do you know I wasn’t at one, anyway?” Regina continued, feeling a spike of fear that she offended Janis.

 

“Eh, there’s no way you’d leave a party to come get me.” She reasoned. “And I haven’t seen you outside without any makeup on since, like, sixth grade.”

 

Regina shook her head, relenting. At least she couldn’t see her slippers. “You said they’re more his friends earlier, so why do you go downtown and drink with them?”

 

“Damian wants me there,” she said as if the answer is obvious. “And, uh, this is the first time I’ve drank. Like, ever.” She grinned now, evidently finding humor in it.

 

“I could’ve guessed that.” Regina felt the tips of her mouth turn upward and made sure Janis couldn’t see her smile.

 

“Partly because no one at school would ever invite me to a party now,” Janis threw out, and Regina knew she wasn’t imagining the underlying bite in her words.

 

This should probably be something they talk through soon, or it would only fester until it grows into something much worse. Regina knows that-- she knows Janis has insults she wants to fling at her, but she won’t let them have that conversation. Even if she deserves it.

 

“You could always crash them,” Regina offered. “No one ever actually kicks out the crashers.”

 

Janis was holding her phone in her hand, attempting to swipe at the screen unsuccessfully. “Nah, it’s fine. I know when I’m not wanted.”

 

Another uncomfortable silence settled between them, and Regina kicked herself for not telling Janis that wasn’t true.

 

“Could you text my mom for me?” Janis spoke up after a few minutes, holding out her phone, still lit up, to Regina.

 

“What?” She raised her brow, confused, and glanced at the object near her face. “Yeah, I guess. Can you wait until I’m at your house?”

 

“Oh! Yeah, you’re driving.” Janis laughs, pulling her phone back and slouching down in her seat, long legs stretching out on the floor mat. Regina quickly looked away after gazing a minute too long at the girl’s fishnets.

 

The rest of the ride passed with little to no conversation, Janis fiddling with the radio dial and somehow managing to turn it on. She kept it low, but the light lull of background music made both of them feel at ease, and Regina once again wished she would’ve done that earlier.

 

Janis’s house was actually on the way to hers-- oftentimes, their parents would have them carpool when they were younger. It was just easier, and they used to talk about what it would be like when they both finally drove. How cool it would be for Regina, who would get her license earlier, to pick up Janis and drive to school together.

 

That totally wasn’t her first thought after passing her driver’s test or anything.

 

She pulled into the familiar neighborhood, the cul-de-sac having barely changed in the last two years. The houses were harder to see in the dark, but she could see the Costellos still had the massive windchime on their front porch. It was a nice nostalgic comfort that those little memories stayed the same, as if this part of her life was stuck at a standstill.

 

“Okay, it’s right here.” Janis pressed in on the radio dial, effectively turning it off, and motioned haphazardly toward the passenger side window.

 

Regina shook her head, already turning the wheel into her driveway. “I remember where you live, Janis.”

 

“Wow, creepy.” She handed her phone back over to Regina as soon as she put the car into park, and it took a moment for her to remember why.

 

“Right, what am I saying to your mom?”

 

“I kinda tried typing it myself there. Do you see it?” Janis pointed toward the screen, and Regina could see the attempted message, which looked much more like the keysmashes Gretchen would often send in their groupchat.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know what the hell that says.”

 

Janis sighed and dramatically fell back into her seat. “Just say I’m home. Safe. The things moms like to hear.” She unbuckled as Regina typed, the strap harshly hitting the side of the car. The girl glared at her for the carelessness and handed the phone back to her.

 

“She’s working night term, but she’ll see it in the morning.” Janis patted down her sides, most likely making sure she had everything. “Hey, um,” she stopped, resting her hands on the tops of her thighs. “Thanks for getting me. Do you need, like, gas money?” Her face flushed, probably because it was the first time she thought of it. “I don’t really have-”

 

“You don’t need to pay me, Janis.”

 

“Oh, okay. Well… thanks again.” She lifted her hand up to the handle, and Regina decided to throw caution to the wind. Every topic they covered raced through her head in that moment, and her heart was back to pounding in her head. Her breath quickened, and before Janis’s slow movements could open the door, Regina slammed down on the lock button.

 

Janis pulled on the handle once, and then twice, with no avail. She must’ve heard the locking sound but still continued to yank on the door.

 

“This isn’t the part where you kill me, is it?”

 

Regina might’ve laughed in another situation, Janis now confusedly staring at her.

 

“I’m gay.”

 

Janis’s hand was still resting on the handle as Regina said that, but it dropped back onto the seat a moment after. Her face was blank, though Regina could read about a million different thoughts flickering through her eyes. Regina brought her own hands up to her face, heart beating well over one hundred beats per minute by now. Maybe that was one of the conclusions she’s come to recently, but she’d _never_ said it out loud. Not even to herself.

 

But then there was Janis, who she has a past with.

 

Janis, sitting there dressed like _that_ while talking about some girl who wants to date her.

 

Janis, being the world’s cutest first time drunk.

 

“I’m so sorry. For what I did.” She covered her face with her hands now, feeling the pressure of tears trying to make their way out of her eyes. A whine escaped from her mouth, and she realized she was about to start crying in front of Janis. “I was thirteen, _fuck_.” Regina moved her hands down to rest on her cheeks, eyes now visible. “It doesn’t excuse it, I know, and maybe- I don’t know- maybe I should’ve said something before. I didn’t understand what I was actually doing.” She couldn’t turn to face her-- Regina was staring straight through the windshield but kept going, despite the mounting tension. “Like, Jesus, you _left school_ , and, I mean, you don’t think I actually _wanted_ that, right?” Janis repositioned in her peripheral vision, and she felt herself tense up. “By the time you came back, I just- I thought it was too late.” She clenched her jaw, finally finding the strength to look to the passenger side. “I thought it was too late.”

 

Janis blinked once. Twice. Several times. Her lack of response was causing Regina to panic, even though the words she spoke had been trying to come out of her mouth for the last hour. Her facial expressions seemed to be trying to catch up, and her eyes seemed to muddled for Regina to genuinely read.

 

“Wow,” she uttered after a few moments, barely audible. “Wow.”

 

Regina ran her left hand through her hair, attempting to hide her now shaking limbs. The anxiety in her lower stomach was stifling now, and the dread of allowing Janis to see her this vulnerable was making her nauseous. “Please just say something,” she breathed out. “Tell me to fuck off, run into traffic, whatev-”

 

“I can’t forgive you.”

 

Regina blinked this time, the words processing incredibly slowly in her brain. It felt like their roles were reversed now. She should’ve expected that reaction, of course; Janis wasn’t just going to wrap her into one of her warm hugs and pat her on the head for such a heartfelt apology. She wasn’t oblivious to the glares from Janis at school-- or her unsubtly turning around and walking in the direction in the hallway. Yes, she knew Janis was upset with her, so why assume she’d accept her back with open arms?

 

“I can’t forgive you yet.”

 

That caught her attention. Just one hopeful word added to the end of the sentence sent her heart into even more of an overdrive, and, shit, if the timing were more appropriate, maybe she’d lean across the gear shift and kiss her.

 

“Look, um,” Janis shook her head, and she seemed a lot more uncomfortable now than before. “If you’re serious about this, then… well, maybe we can work on it?” She questioned, and Regina wasn’t sure if she was asking her or herself. “Show me a difference at school, okay? Like,” she paused, bringing her hands up to motion toward Regina, “the version of Regina you showed me tonight?” Janis shrugged, a pained smile on her lips. “She was okay.”

 

“I-”

 

“Just show me you can change. We can start there.” She pulled her phone from her pocket, nervously glancing at the door. “Could you-”

 

“Shit, yeah.” Regina quickly it, and the bitter breeze that came from Janis leaving the car helped ground her. “Janis?”

 

She froze, door still wide open, and peeked her head back in. “What’s up?”

 

“I missed you.”

 

Something flashed in Janis’s eyes then, and Regina felt an anxious pang in her chest that she might’ve gone too far. After a moment, the girl offered her a sad smile, fingers tapping on the top of the car door. “Yeah, it’s been real.” She lifted her right hand to wave then, smile still in place. “See ya Monday.”

 

Regina smiled back, heartbeat finally lowering as Janis slowly left her presence. Janis slammed the door shut and stumbled toward her front door, and Regina refused to pull away until she was safely inside. She held her breath, waiting for Janis to turn around one last time, but she didn’t.

 

She tried not to let that bother her.

 

* * *

 

 

Regina did very little on Sunday other than dig around for the missing items her sister had stolen and think about her promise to Janis. She _said_ she would change, and if their relationship could be rekindled, then why not try it? Her first move would have to be dumping Aaron because now both she _and_ Janis knew that relationship was a sham. It’d be better for him, anyway-- he could find someone who genuinely cares about him the way he does her.

 

The way she treated people was probably what Janis ultimately meant about change, and though that in general might take some time, she figured she could start with her friendships with the girls. Both Gretchen and Karen deserved a better friend, and maybe… maybe these changes would make Regina happier, too. It would be good for her-- not just a reason to get Janis back into her life.

 

She wasn’t sure how to start the change, but she did bring both of the girls into school with her Monday morning. Gretchen seemed shocked when she offered over their nightly three-way call but didn’t object; Regina barely spoke during the drive, however, essentially letting Gretchen and Karen talk between themselves. Being in her car reminded her too much of Saturday night.

 

 _Don’t say anything if you have nothing nice to add_. She kept repeating the old preschool mantra to herself every time Gretchen made a joke, even going as far to hold back her eye rolls. It was going well, she thought, at least up until lunchtime.

 

Regina kept up a certain pace walking down the hall, Gretchen and Karen flanking both sides. This probably wasn’t something she could change— people were going to move out of her way no matter what. They’d been doing it for years now, and even if she became Mother Teresa tomorrow, Regina doubted anyone would really get in her way.

 

Janis must’ve arrived late, since she wasn’t in their morning class earlier. There she was now, standing in front of her locker, passionately speaking to the big theater kid who never left her alone. She was facing Regina’s direction, and as her eyes flickered over to her, Regina slowed slightly, awaiting a positive reaction from the girl.

 

Instead, she watched Janis grimace, eyes flashing with the same hatred Regina would’ve expected a week ago. The action almost caused Regina to stumble, and the background noise in the hallway faded away. She kept eye contact with Janis, who looked about moments away from punching her in the jaw. Her big friend was staring at them now, too, a look of disgust clearly on his face.

 

Regina gulped, brushing off their reactions, and continued toward the cafeteria.

 

She hadn’t been expecting that.

 

Maybe it was just to keep up appearances. They could slowly start changing in public, she supposed. Get the rest of the school used to them being friends again.

 

So Regina went after school— when the majority of students were out of the hallways and on their way to extracurriculars. Karen went home during sixth period, apparently faking a stomach ache to get out of a homework assignment, leaving only Gretchen with Regina. Regularly, she might’ve snapped at the girl to leave, but Gretchen seemed to be soaking up the positive attention.

 

Janis was alone at her locker this time, one headphone in her ear as she loaded different books into her bag. Regina hesitated, Gretchen talking about something or other into her ear. Her focus was on Janis, though, who eventually looked up at her. Without thinking, Regina smiled, and Janis simply stared. She stopped then, Gretchen seemingly unbothered, and Janis turned away, bringing her other headphone up to her ear.

 

Regina could understand this happening the first time. They had a lot to work out before they could be friendly at school, fine. But the second time? Regina went out of her _way_ to see Janis, even smiled at her. Still, Janis didn’t want anything to do with her. Saturday night, though, she-

 

She was drunk.

 

Sure, she wasn’t the worst drunk Regina had ever seen. She once witnessed Karen break several vases at a college party, throw up in two of them, and pass out in the dead shrubs in front of the frat house. The girl still didn’t remember doing any of it.

 

Regina held her breath suddenly, that possibility never having entered her brain.

 

She didn’t remember it?

 

Janis wasn’t _that_ far gone. She might’ve been more open with her than she normally would’ve been, but she shouldn’t have been drunk enough to not _remember_ her being there. How did she think she got home? She remembered none of their conversation?

 

Regina’s apology and confession?

 

Her throat was dry, watching Janis walk away from her. If it was true, then of course Janis wouldn’t want to speak to her. Drunken Janis in need of a ride was the only opportunity they had to actually speak in the last few years, and she couldn’t just march up to her at school. They’d need to repeat this weekend’s conversation again.

 

“-and Taylor totally didn’t know he was going to invite her, right? Like, Regina, her _face_ -“

 

“Gretchen!” _Fuck it. None of this is worth it._ “Jason doesn’t like you, has never liked you, and will never like you.” She turned to face her, her lips forming into a snarl. “Stop pretending like you’re even interested in him.”

 

Gretchen’s mouth formed a little _o_ , and Regina expected nothing less. After the way she’d been treating her the last two days, it was no wonder Gretchen was surprised. She probably thought Regina was changing, treating her more like an actual friend than a crony. Regina thought it, too.

 

She saw the painted back of Janis’s jacket turn right, disappearing out of sight, and Regina turned in the other direction, heading to her car. Gretchen could walk home.

 

* * *

 

 

**Two Years Later— Senior Year**

 

“I’m not taking a selfie in bed with you,” Janis snarked, pulling the comforter up to her chin.

 

“You’re the only person in bed with me, so,” Regina held her phone up above them, and Janis briefly considered buying her a selfie stick so the girl’s arm wouldn’t be so tired all the time. Janis, relenting, held her hands up at the last minute, forming makeshift horns behind Regina’s head.

 

Regina let out a loud laugh after hitting the button, bringing up the final result to show her. “That was mean.” She shook her head. “But it’s cute. I’m posting it.”

 

“I’m writing the caption.”

 

Regina rolled her eyes, handing her phone over to Janis to type whatever she wanted. She tried peeking, but Janis only held it closer to her chest each time. Janis tapped her phone screen a few times, taking longer than she usually would.

 

“Are you done?”

 

“It’s up.” She tossed the phone toward Regina’s leg, relaxing back into the pillow beneath her. “You like?”

 

“Wait.” Regina was holding her phone again, eyes narrowing slightly. “You logged yourself in.”

 

“Yeah, I posted it.” Janis shrugged. “It wasn’t gonna make sense on your account.”

 

The picture was at the top of Janis’s Instagram feed, with the caption ‘ _Dates with the devil’_ right below it. The number of devil emojis following it clued Regina in that she must’ve been spending more time with Karen recently.

 

“Funny.” Regina rolled her eyes but the action lacked any real malice. She leaned her head onto her hand, lying on her right side and facing Janis. She gently plopped the phone between them, brightness still turned up. “I have, like, three missed calls from Kylie.”

 

“Isn’t she downstairs?”

 

“Yeah, these are from a couple of days ago, I guess. I never clear them.”

 

Janis looked as if she was preparing a retort but stopped, a worried expression coming over her face. She was staring up at Regina now, who held her complete attention.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing, nothing.” Her breath was stuck in her throat, knowing this conversation wouldn’t be entirely pleasant. She should’ve brought it up earlier. Not at the end of their senior year when they were finally dating. “Could I ask you something?”

 

Regina said nothing but her obvious piqued interest told Janis to keep going.

 

“Sophomore year. Do you,” she shifted in place, nerves overtaking her. “Do you remember when you picked me up from that party in the city?”

 

Regina’s brows raised practically to her hairline, and her arm dropped onto the mattress. She pushed herself into a sitting position, shocked gaze never leaving Janis’s. “You know about that? Like, you remembered?”

 

Janis pushed the comforter down toward her knees, resting against the headboard now. “I didn’t forget.”

 

Regina looked stricken then, and Janis wanted to kick herself for even bringing it up. They were in a good place now; she didn’t have to air out old baggage between them.

 

“So, last year-“

 

“Okay, stop,” Janis interrupted, Regina’s wavering tone rubbing her the wrong way. “What you said at the end of that night… remember? About missing me?” Regina nodded. “I wasn’t ready. It was just too much at once.”

 

" _That_ was the part that was too much?”

 

Janis smiled, noticing some of Regina’s tension was disappearing. “I ignored you on Monday. I just wanted some time to think.” She sighed, dropping her hands to her knees. “But you broke your promise.”

 

Regina frowned. “What?”

 

“By Tuesday, you were back to your normal self.” She looked away, fighting the urge to bring her knees up to her chest. “That kinda helped fuel last year. I just thought you were a really good actress.”

 

“Why didn’t you-“

 

“I know. I _know_ , okay? Fuck, I sat through your apology a second time over the summer.” She shut her eyes tight, Regina’s crying face from memory playing behind her eyelids. “I know I should’ve said something then.”

 

Regina blinked, remaining quiet for a few moments. Janis couldn’t read her thoughts, but she didn’t seem overly upset. She could practically see the cogs turning in her head.

 

“Do you realize, for the past couple years, we’ve just,” she paused, contemplating, “kept missing each other? Like, the timing was never right.”

 

Janis smiled, wrapping an arm around Regina’s shoulder, a sigh of relief leaving her when the girl didn’t pull away. “And now?”

 

Regina snorted, resting her forehead against Janis’s. “We’re going to the same college.”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“And we’re dating.”

 

“We are.”

 

“And I think we’ve had enough of these apologies to last a lifetime.”

 

“Oh, for sure.”

 

Regina, now smiling, leaned in to kiss her, effectively quieting Janis.

 

“But, wait,” she placed her palm against Janis’s chest, and the girl raised a flirty eyebrow. “Stop it. Wait. Did you seriously just decide to tell me that because I said I missed Kylie’s calls?

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you or did you not let my first call that night go to voicemail?”

 

“That’s not fair.” Regina pouted, dropping her hand from Janis’s chest, earning a pout from her, too. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

 

“You _still_ ignore my calls-“

 

Regina cut her off this time with another kiss, both of them grinning into it. The kiss lasted for several moments, Regina’s hands dropping to Janis’s waist. She considered pushing Janis onto her back and straddling her, but the other girl broke away before she could.

 

“Did you at least ask your sister why she called you so many times?”

 

Regina groaned, knowing Janis kept mentioning it to tease her. “Yeah, it’s because I was late picking her up last week. Happy?”

 

“Well, why were you late?” She tried questioning her, but the smile playing on her lips took away from it.

 

Regina reached up, holding Janis’s head between her hands. “You were the reason.”

 

Janis laughed, pressed her lips against Regina’s again, and fell back onto the mattress, past conversations forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> the selfie they took in bed toward the end was actually inspired by a piece of lovely fan art my friend commissioned, please go give the artist some love: https://pxndlife.tumblr.com/post/183635888692/commission-for-disastrouslesbian
> 
> go leave prompts: kleksuh.tumblr.com


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